A process for making an aerogel-electrolyte-metal composite includes contacting an aerogel with an electrolyte to form an aerogel-electrolyte composite; contacting the aerogel-electrolyte composite with a metal precursor to form an aerogel-electrolyte-precursor composite; and converting the metal precursor of the aerogel-electrolyte-precursor composite to metal crystals to form the aerogel-electrolyte-metal composite. In addition, an aerogel-electrolyte-metal composite is formed by the process, wherein the average longest dimension of the metal crystals is about 1 to about 3 nanometers, and wherein the metal crystals are about 30% to about 100% dispersed.